tugging at my heart
by MedusaOfTheSpecies
Summary: Soulmate AU: In a world where Soulmates share an image on their bodies, Andromeda wonders about the image of a head of rainbow hair she shares with Theodore Tonks.


**Soulmate AU where soulmates have a matching mark on their bodies.**

 _Written for the OTP Challenge (Soulmate Trope, TedAndromeda) and the Great AU Challenge ( Impulse, Clock tower, "You have got to be kidding me," Flowers)_

* * *

"You're my soulmate? You have got to be kidding me!" Andromeda Tonks exclaimed, her voice rising on the last syllable. "But you're not even pureblood!"

Ted Tonks frowned. "What does my blood status have to do with anything?"

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm a member of the Ancient and most Noble house of Black. What can you say for yourself?"

"Well, at least I'm not coasting through life on my family name," Ted said quietly.

Andromeda glared. Blazing anger coasted through her body, igniting her sense. How dare he imply that she needed her family to be worthy! She would show him exactly the kind of things a Black could do.

"Get out of here, Tonks," Andromeda sneered. "I don't need your filthy self disgracing my good name."

Ted stared at her for a second and Andromeda ignored the pang in her heart at his hurt face. She didn't mean to be that cruel.

Still, when he stormed out of the compartment, looking close to tears, Andromeda didn't follow. She sat down, resting her back against the plush walls of the Hogwarts express and closed her eyes.

Unconsciously though, her fingers traced the image of a head of rainbow hair.

...

Andromeda smiled smugly at Bellatrix from across the table as her mom proudly bragged about Andromeda's new prefect position. Bellatrix, who always was a little insane, had never gotten either a prefect badge or a head girl badge.

Not like Andromeda, who was already the fifth year Slytherin prefect, a straight O student, and on her way to being Hogwarts's head girl. She was all set.

But still, a part of her craved more, more than this life of society balls and fluttering eyelashes. She wanted to be a somebody, the kind of person people stared at for reasons other than their family name.

Still, there had to be something said for the small things. Smiling sweetly at Bellatrix, Andromeda traced her prefect badge, enjoying the look of rage on her sister's face.

"I will kill you," Bellatrix mouthed from across the table. Andromeda smirked.

...

Andromeda walked down the hallway, a small bounce in her step. She couldn't wait to get away from her family.

Bellatrix had been intolerable for the rest of the summer. In between her anger at Andromeda and her new position in some super-secret society that she kept lording over the rest of them, Andromeda thought Bellatrix might be her least favorite family member.

Not that her other sister was much better. Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa's soulmate, had formally asked their father for Narcissa's hand in marriage.

Andromeda sighed as she thought of her own soulmate. She hadn't seen the Theodore Tonks for longer than a class period since the first year when she had rejected him.

Andromeda was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that she had arrived at the compartment. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Andromeda pushed open the door.

Inside, few people had arrived yet. Ravenclaw's female sixth year prefect was bent over a book with the seventh year Slytherin male prefect. Andromeda winced at the damage that kind of close proximity would do to their eyes and found a seat as far away from them as possible.

Andromeda people-watched for a couple of minutes as everyone slowly trickled in, talking and laughing about their summers. She longed for the kind of interaction where she could just easily give up details, but her upbringing wouldn't allow it. Andromeda snorted, quiet and bitter.

"Attention!" The head girl called, a petite Hufflepuff with braided blond hair. Her partner, a Gryffindor, smiled fondly.

Andromeda listened half-heartedly as they talked. Most of the things they covered were basic knowledge anyways.

It's only when they got to the patrol schedules that she finally looked up.

"So, your partners are all posted. No switching or complaining please!" The girl said cheerfully. Andromeda rolled her eyes and shuffled along with everyone else to look at the board.

Tracing her finger down, Andromeda located herself. 10:30-11:30, dungeons and kitchens shift. Not bad.

Partner: Theodore Tonks, Hufflepuff.

Andromeda's heart dropped. This year was already getting worse and she hadn't even been back for a day.

...

"Andromeda, darling, surely this is just a fling?" Druella Black asked, fluttering nervously around Andromeda. Beside her, Cygnus Black swung back another shot of firewhiskey. Bella and Narcissa watched the proceedings like it was a show for their enjoyment.

Andromeda thought she might be sick. "No, it isn't. I'm going to marry him, mother. I'm in love and if you all refuse to acknowledge my feelings, I will leave."

"To hell, you will!" Cygnus screamed, slurring his words in his rage. "I didn't raise you for sixteen years just for you to run off with some mudblood."

"Well, then you're going to be solely disappointed," Andromeda said coldly.

Cygnus raised his fists. "Get. Out. Of. My. House. I won't tolerate you making a laughing stock out of our family any longer. Leave everything behind, it belongs to a daughter of house black, not some blood traitor filth."

Andromeda walked calmly to the door. "Goodbye then."

When the door slammed behind her, the house of Black was dead silent.

When she apparated to the Tonk's house, Ted Tonk's had a bouquet of flowers and a soft shoulder for her to cry on.

This time around, Andromeda traced his mark instead of her own and felt like she was finally home.

...

Andromeda looked down at the child she had given birth to, feeling the familiar tug at her heart that only happened around her soulmate. Andromeda looked up, smiling when she saw Ted approach.

He looked just as haggard as she did and Andromeda winced as she saw the marks from when she had dug her nails in too hard. To his credit, Ted didn't complain, just slid into the bed beside her.

"Could I hold her?" Ted asked softly. Andromeda nodded, passing over the baby.

"What should we name her? "Andromeda asked quietly.

Ted smiled. "Nymphadora. We can keep your families tradition of the super long names, lots of syllables."

Andromeda laughed but turned serious. "Like the nymph princess whose evil stepmother locked her in the clocktower, only for her to escape?"

Ted nodded. "She reminds me of you. I've never met a stronger person."

Andromeda kissed his forehead lovingly, stroking Nymphadora's hair.

And then, just like magic, it happened. As her hand passed over Nymphadora's head, the strands of hair turned rainbow and Andromeda's glance when on impulse to her and Ted's intertwined hands. The soulmark stood out proudly, a head of rainbow hair.

Andromeda smiled so hard it hurt, feeling like her heart could burst.


End file.
